"The State of Israel ... will ensure complete equality of social and political
rights of all its inhabitants irrespective of religion ... it will guarantee freedom
of religion and conscience." - May 1948)

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"In pluralism you can’t just say, 'I like it.' You have to present an intelligent argument for embracing your conviction. And, I say there can be conviction and depth if you learn to hear your own music without having to negate the other. Acclimation without negation. I don’t have to negate the other in order to affirm what I have."

Since 1977, when the Right first won the Israeli elections, and the Israeli "Mr. TV" Haim Yavin, who has led the newscast since 1968, opened the election broadcast with the words: "There's a mahapach (upheaval)!" there haven’t been many elections that had the potential of producing another “upheaval”.

This week temporarily halted the removal-from-office procedure, which Interior Minister Deri (Leader of Shas) initiated against Mayor of Tiberias Ron Kobi. Kobi has become a symbol and lightning rod, as a crusader against religious coercion.

The unfolding election campaigning provides further validation to Hiddush's contention as to the major role that the clash of religion-&-state can potentially play if properly positioned in shaping Israel's future political trajectory. Avigdor Lieberman (whose political focus on "anti-halakha state" we've described in detail) continues to reap the gains.

The IDF and the military Rabbinate will allow Reform rabbis and rabbis of other streams to conduct military burial ceremonies, as well as allow for secular funerals in military cemeteries. This official commitment was made by the attorney representing the State before the Supreme Court at a hearing held today (July 4, 2019) in response to a petition filed by Hiddush for Freedom of Religion and Equality against the IDF.

The 2019 Knesset elections are over, but not much has been written about their potential impact on matters of religion & state and Israel-Diaspora relations. Hiddush polling shows that approximately 2/3 of Israeli Jews would prefer a civil government that does not depend upon the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Former Israeli MFA Deputy Director General for North America, Baruch Bina, published an article in Hebrew titled ‘Israel is losing the Jewish people’. Hiddush shares some of its key assertions and observations in English here.